March 16, 2011

Recorded midday yesterday at the Wisconsin State Capitol. Most of the time, it's Meade following this man — who talks about his job as a public-employee nurse. Aiming the bullhorn at the Capitol, he taunts "Governor Goofy." At one point, he stops to bullhorn insults right into Meade's face. Meade's Bontrager hat proves perplexing.

Remember the guy who was Elaine's boss at the J. Peterman company on Seinfeld? Ann should do a bit (in the same style as Jacopo Peterman) where she comments on consumer products that interest her (boots, cars, hats, whatever).

"Humanitarian Terror!?" Once again, I found myself laughing, but it's really not funny. These people are so completely misguided to think that they are oppressed in any way. But he's exhausted...he worked 40 hours this week. I mean, NO ONE does that.

While captain bullhorn suggest that Meade's silence speaks volumes, I would counter that his amplified stream of consciousness is actually what is revealing here. That is, if you consider his one-track mind an example of consciousness.

These people are so completely misguided to think that they are oppressed in any way. But he's exhausted...he worked 40 hours this week. I mean, NO ONE does that.

One of the more interesting (that is to say, annoying) chanting points popping up for the last month is this noxious notion that public sector employees are MORE IMPORTANT than you. And therefore DESERVE higher wages, better benefits, and unending pensions. Teachers have been particularly prone to this notion that they're better than you, you vermin, because they do it all for the chillldruunn!

Let's see if any of our resident liberal apologists can make a silk purse out of this sow's ear.

What an annoying jerk. I think Meade was amazingly cool under fire. If that dick asked me who I voted for, I'm afraid I would have told him it's none of his fu**in business a**hole (or words to that effect).

Do you know what surprises me? This nurse didn't recognize Ann, either. And, Meade has her in this clip. At about the 3 minute mark.

How can that be?

By now, people at the Rotunda don't know about this blog?

I thought you'd have lost your anonymity.

And, even though for most of the clip all we see of the "nurse" is the "bullshit horn" ... there's a part where Meade is able to walk a bit to the side ... or put his arm out to the side ... And, he gets the nurse's face in profile.

You mean no one will be telling this nurse to go look at his "Governor Goofy" video?

If he had said the "magic words" ... "I DO NOT WANT TO BE VIDEO TAPED" ... as the policeman did to Meade at the Rotunda's War Memorial ... would this site be obligated to remove the video?

We just visited my father-in-law in the hospital. He was not allowed food or drink due to an esophageal problem.

I understand this, as aspiration was a present danger.

However,

He had no IV.

He was completely dehydrated.

Thanks to our bitching, an IV was hooked up for him ... over 15 hours after his admittance.

How many nurses were hanging out, chatting at the nurses' station, while he begged for water?

Four.

This is purely anecdotal, and I am not using this one-off story to apply to all nurses, but I was amazed to see the level of "care" employed at this hospital — which unfortunately in the area in which he lives — is pretty much the only one in town.

Is not bullhorn, is Bolshevik horn, invented by Stalin himself in the 1932s.

He say, "Do you like videotaping the end of my bullhorn?" Is weak, this one.The horn is for the shoutings, да.But more is for the beatings.May be nurse that is male need the reeducation camp for learningk.

They say the pen is mightier than the sword. Is the video camera mightier than the bullhorn? Stay tuned to discover the winner among these warring technologies.....I don't think the guy with the bullhorn is especially obnoxious, but he does rate high in the self indulgent category. Who knew that there was a secret fraternity of bikers with their own special hats? It is sad to observe that the passions unleashed by a civil service dispute can subvert even the bonhomie of bikers.

If you ever have a chance, compare a private hospital's nursing care to a public (county) one. About the same number of nurses to patients, but the care is vastly different. My experience is that the more private the hospital the better the care. UCLA Medical is much better than L.A. county Hospital, and private catholic hospitals are best of all. No wasted time, truly caring, respectful and efficient.

I'm still waiting to see what is done better by government. Imagine a government designed and built car.

What a fantastic opening frame. An oversized bullhorn where a human head should be. That actually looks like a very good bullhorn. Had I photoshopped that you would say, "bullhorn too big."

What a dilemma: a shiny new bullhorn and nothing useful or injuriously provocative to say.

Did I ever mention the little pink plastic bullhorn dropped by the Code Pink agitprop during the Democratic Convention here in Denver? She was a pretty little bird too, for once, if you can believe it. She was shoved directly in front of me which caused her to lose her hold on her little girl toy bullhorn. It cracked open and spilled its AA batteries onto the street revealing cheap construction. She was bleeding a little and she had lost her voice! My impulse was to help her gather her things, to comfort her, and to express concern, but honestly, I was too self-involved laughing my ass right off. Good times, good times. It's as a painting permanently nailed in my brain: broken pink plastic bullhorn against stony black road, spilt tiny batteries that go in a toy. I am cheered again just remembering that fine sunny day. Everybody was so fierce and interesting.

Again, I appreciate the trouble taken to head to the capitol every day. But I would be more interested in seeing how these people respond to discourse, rather than just holding a camera and practically whispering "I'm not touching you. What? Do I annoy you?"

Because he asked. And, as a reader, getting to know his thought process is a lot more enlightening than just watching him walk about muttering slogans. We've seen about 50 such videos. We get the point.

3. Most people like Mr. Bullhorn have nothing to offer to a conversation but mindless talking points and not a smidgeon of critical thinking.

4. The minute you engage someone like Mr. Bullhorn, you are not going to be exchanging ideas but rather engaging in an argument consisting of pre programmed talking points that he/she has picked up from somewhere and regurgitates all over the place.

5. I have better things to do than to argue with an idiot. It is a complete waste of time.

6. and most importantly.....more fun to just watch him have a melt down when you don't respond like he thinks you should.

I suspect that a man shouting questions at you through a bullhorn just inches from your face is not interested in a dialogue.

But maybe that's just me.

Flashback to the earlier Meade-vid where the earnest protestor-children were upset that the woman with the pro-Walker sign refused to enter into dialogue with them and found it somehow morally lacking that she'd carry a sign without explaining herself.

I wouldn't have said anything to them either. They weren't interested in dialogue. They just wanted to throw chanting-points at her.

I've learned that "dialogue" for the left means they talk, you must listen.

CJ -engaging in conversation could not possibly reveal more about thought process that the silent interview did. Just worked out that way.We know he felt that the bullhorn gave him power and right to accusingly demand to know how a person voted. We know if you are not overtly for his cause then you are against him, hate old people, have no compassion, don't care if everyone in the hospital dies, are part of the tea party, etc. He proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that he generalizes about people, and seeks reasons to hate and discount the humanity of anyone not in lockstep with himself.It was far more revealing than a discussion would have been. Not always the case, but for this guy it was.

"Because he asked. And, as a reader, getting to know his thought process is a lot more enlightening than just watching him walk about muttering slogans. We've seen about 50 such videos. We get the point."

But did you see how he walked away from me when I tried to interview him? (I hadn't been with Meade, so he didn't see us as working together.) He wasn't interested in talking. And if he really wanted to talk to Meade, why didn't he put the bullhorn down and talk to him?

And I don't see how you can say it was rude to film him. His whole thing was to make a big spectacle of himself. He was obviously attention seeking. Why then did he turn on Meade?

Cause he is using a bullhorn inches from the guy he is talking too. At least drunks in bars who yell at the person next to them have an excuse. Their drunk. However, we all know that being a douche in the fight for more of the public's money is not only allowed, but required. Cause if public employees are unable to negotiate for killer retirement and health plans, your grandmother will be killed. Or something.

I recall Marsha McCluhan famously coined the phrase; "The medium is the message" which Meade and Althouse proved. This guy changes bed pans and Depends for a living, which is a worthwhile pursuit if actually performed on the graveyard shift when he worked. With his attitude I wouldn't be surprised if the day shift that follows his work have some complaints about his enthusiasm for performing his basic tasks.

There are some real horror stories out their at assisted living facilities where "not my job" is used to avoid unpleasant tasks for which one is hired. It is called elder abuse. This guy is pimping his patients for personal gain. I would find it most interesting to make a surprise visit to his workplace about 3 in the morning and check his level of care.

When Mister Bullhorn reaches senility let us see how he fares in government issue Depends. He is setting his Karma and they don't allow bull horns in the ward.

I don't think I said taping him was rude, because I don't believe that. Perhaps a prick with a bullhorn is not the best case on which to make a "hey, why don't you talk to these people?" argument. Some of the other protesters, though...

If you say the discourse you attempted just wasn't interesting enough to post, I accept that.

I guess my experience as a blog commenter comes into play. I can wade into a blog teeming with liberal opinion, challenge them, and watch them undermine their own arguments with their ill-informed responses. Maybe it doesn't work in person. Or with bullhorns.

I don't think I said it was rude to tape him, because I don't think that. Further, maybe I should not use a prick with a bullhorn to make a "Hey, why don't you talk to these people?" point. Some other protesters, though....

Finally, if you say that the discourse just hasn't made for interesting footage, I buy that.

I was using my experience as a blog commenter. I can wade into a site teeming with liberal opinion, challenge them, and then step back and watch them undermine their stance with ill-informed comebacks. It's a great tactic. I guess it doesn't work in person. Or with bullhorns.